Hertha Berlin v Werder Bremen: Preview
Posted by werdernews on April 4, 2008
Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf has taken a hard line with his team this week in a bid to stop the rot ahead of Saturday’s trip to Hertha Berlin.Two consecutive Bundesliga defeats have seen fifth-placed Bremen drop out of the Champions League berths, while their hold on the final UEFA Cup spot is under threat from in-form Stuttgart, two points behind them in sixth.
Schaaf cancelled all his team’s days off this week and also called in his players for a double training session on Wednesday.
“The team worked very well,” Schaaf told reporters after that session.
Schaaf’s week has also been blighted by fresh speculation on the future of talented midfielder Diego, whose father and agent on Thursday claimed Real Madrid, Juventus and Arsenal were leading the chase to sign the Brazilian.
Whether Diego stays or goes is likely to depend on Bremen’s participation or otherwise in next season’s Champions League.
The chances of that being realised are reducing by the day, but Bremen will at least be buoyed by the prospect of facing Hertha at the Olympic Stadium, where they have lost only once on their previous five visits.
Hertha have their own transfer rumours to contend with after Germany international Arne Friedrich was linked with a big-money move to Roma.
Bremen’s Tim Borowski is definitely on the move after agreeing to join Bayern Munich in the summer, but for now he remains a key part of Schaaf’s squad, which is shorn of injured duo Daniel Jensen and Pierre Wome.
Hertha coach Lucien Favre will give a late fitness test to top scorer Marco Pantelic (calf) before deciding on his starting XI.
source: espnsoccernet.com
Here are the highlights of the first match, played on Weserstadion on 10th match day:
